Research
Broadly, my research explores host-parasite interactions within the context of global climate change. I am particularly interested in schistosomiasis, a human parasitic disease that is transmitted in aquatic environments. My dissertation examines the effect of temperature on various life history stages of the parasite, Schistosoma mansoni, and its intermediate snail host, Biomphalaria glabrata. The questions driving my work are a) does temperature influence hatching and emergence rates of the larval parasite stages, b) does temperature impact the physiology and movement of the larval parasite stages, and c) how do temperature-dependent responses in the larval stages ultimately influence snail infection rates and human health risk?
In the Harwood lab, I conducted a MST study in a central Florida wildlife conservation site. The watershed frequently exceeded regulatory guidelines for fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), and our primary goal was to identify whether humans or wildlife were the main sources of fecal pollution. We employed a suite of qPCR assays targeting bird and human molecular markers to test pathogen persistence in water, sediment, and vegetation. The study was published in Water Research, which you can find below.
​
If interested, please view my personal website here.
Publications
K. Gionet*, K. Nguyen, J.R. Rohr. 2019. Investigating relationships between temperature, size, infection status, & parasite production in a host-parasite system. University of South Florida Undergraduate Research Symposium, April 4, 2019, Tampa, FL. Poster presenter.
​
K. Nguyen, J.R. Rohr, B.J. Gemmell. 2019. Examining the effects of temperature and viscosity on miracidial and cercarial movement of Schistsoma mansoni. The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, January 3-7, 2019, Tampa, FL. Oral presenter.
​
K. Nguyen, D.J. Civitello, J.R. Rohr. 2018. Coupling dynamic energy budget (DEB) theory with a mesocosm experiment to predict and validate the effects of temperature on a host-parasite system. American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, October 28-November 1, New Orleans, LA. Oral presenter.
​
K. Nguyen, D.J. Civitello, J.R. Rohr. 2018. Using a mesocosm experiment to assess the effects of temperature on a host-parasite system. Southeastern Ecology and Evolution Conference, October 5-6, 2018, Miami, FL. Oral presenter.
​
K. Nguyen, C. Senay, S. Young, B. Nayak, A. Lobos, J. Conrad, J. Senkbeil, V.J. Harwood. 2017. Detection of Wild Animal Sources of Fecal Indicator Bacteria by Microbial Source Tracking (MST) Influences Regulatory Decisions. Southeastern Branch of the American Society for Microbiology, November 10-12, St. Petersburg, FL. Oral presenter.
​
K. Nguyen, J. Rohr, B. Gemmell. 2017. The effects of temperature and viscosity on a waterborne human parasite: implications for transmission efficiency. Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, August 6-11, Portland, OR. Poster presenter.
​
K. Nguyen, J. Rohr, B. Gemmell. 2017. The effects of temperature and viscosity on cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni: implications for transmission efficiency. Gordon Research Conference: Tropical Infectious Diseases, March 12-17, Galveston, TX. Poster presenter.
​
K. Nguyen, J. Senkbeil, A. Lobos, J. Conrad, S. Young, V.J. Harwood. 2016. A Multi-Year Comparison of Fecal Indicator Bacteria and Microbial Source Tracking Methodologies at a Wildlife Conservation Site in Central Florida. Florida Branch of the American Society for Microbiology, October 14-16, Miami, FL. Oral presenter.
​
V.J. Harwood, S. Young, K. Nguyen, B. Nayak. 2015. Using Library-Independent Microbial Source Tracking (MST) Methodologies to Identify the Right Suite of Analyses for a Wildlife Conservation Site in Central Florida. Southeastern Branch of the American Society for Microbiology, November 13-15, Kennesaw, GA. Oral presenter.
​
W. Ahmed, V.J. Harwood, K. Nguyen, S. Young , K. Hamilton, S. Toze. 2015. Performance of the Avian-Associated GFD Marker for Microbial Source Tracking in the U.S. and Australia. American Society for Microbiology General Meeting, May 29-June 2, New Orleans, LA. Poster presenter.
​
*denotes undergraduate presenter
8. K.H. Nguyen, P. Boersch-Supan, V.J. Harwood, J.R. Rohr. In preparation. Mismatches in thermal optima of Schistosoma mansoni hatching success and cercarial emergence influences human schistosomiasis risk.
​
7. K.H. Nguyen, B.J. Gemmell, J.R. Rohr. Under review. Effects of Temperature and Viscosity on Miracidial and Cercarial Movement of Schistosoma mansoni: Ramifications for Disease Transmission.
​
6. Jason R. Rohr, David J. Civitello, Bryan Delius, Meggan E. Craft, Giulio DeLeo, Peter J. Hudson, Nicolas Jouanard, Karena H. Nguyen, Richard S. Ostfeld, Justin V. Remais, Gilles Riveau, Sanna Sokolow, David Tilman. 2019. Interactions between Feeding 11 Billion People and Infectious Diseases. Nature Sustainability 2:445–456.
​
5. Jeremy M. Cohen, Taegan A. McMahon, Chloe Ramsay, Elizabeth A. Roznik, Erin L. Sauer, Scott Bessler, David J. Civitello, Bryan K. Delius, Neal Halstead, Sarah A. Knutie, K.H. Nguyen, Nicole Ortega, Brittany Sears, Matthew D. Venesky, Suzanne Young, Jason R. Rohr. 2019. Impacts of thermal mismatches on disease prevalence are moderated by life stage, body size, elevation and latitude. Ecology Letters 22:817-825.
​
4. K.H. Nguyen, C. Senay, S. Young, B. Nayak, A. Lobos, J. Conrad, and V.J. Harwood. 2018. Determination of Wild Animal Sources of Fecal Indicator Bacteria by Microbial Source Tracking (MST) Influences Regulatory Decisions. Water Research 144: 424-434. PDF
​
3. E.M. Symonds, Karena H. Nguyen, V.J. Harwood, M. Breitbart. 2018. Pepper mild mottle virus: A plant pathogen with a greater purpose in (waste)water treatment development and public health management. Water Research 144: 1-12. PDF
​
2. N.T. Halstead, C.M. Hoover, A. Arakala, D.J. Civitello, G.A. De Leo, M. Gambhir, S.A. Johnson, N. Jouanard, K.A. Loerns, T.A. McMahon, R.A. Ndione, K. Nguyen, T.R. Raffel, J.V. Remais, G. Riveau, S.H. Sokolow, and J.R. Rohr. 2018. Agrochemicals increase risk of human schistosomiasis by supporting higher densities of intermediate hosts. Nature Communications 9:837. PDF
​
1. W. Ahmed, V.J. Harwood, K. Nguyen, S. Young, K. Hamilton, S. Toze. 2016. Utility of Helicobacter spp. Associated GFD Markers for Detecting Avian Fecal Pollution in Environmental Waters of Two Continents. Water Research 88:613-622. PDF
Presentations
